Where does the expression come from?
It is difficult to find the origins of any phraseological unit, but we will try. The phrase “cats scratch your soul” is believed to have its roots in the Middle Ages. It was at a time when the church was conducting its active propaganda that people got used to dividing the world into black and white. And the worst of all in this situation were the innocent black cats. They were considered the companion of the devil and witches.
Of course, over time this fanatical superstition was forgotten, but people still became wary of cats. This pet was and remains too unpredictable. When a cat is bored, it begins to sharpen its claws.
After all, it is thanks to this weapon that the night predator has the opportunity to hunt. So people noticed: if a cat sharpens its claws, expect that now it will bring trouble: it will knock over a jar, or knock over a candlestick. This is how the expression remained among the people. And the sound that accompanies a cat's manicure irritates the nerves and soul.
The phrases were combined, and we got the familiar expression “cats scratch at the soul.”
Expression value
We understand the origin of the phrase, now let’s think about the hidden meaning in it. If you describe the meaning of the phraseological unit “cats scratch your soul” in one word, you get “melancholy.” Of course, you can choose many other synonyms: sadness, sadness, fear and other feelings associated with not the best human experiences. Most often, the expression “cats scratch at my soul” is used when a person cannot decide or decide on something.
But this does not mean that the student cannot calculate a mathematical equation, it is rather similar to the fear of leaving for another country. There seems to be no reason to worry, but the unknown is still scary, and a person feels causeless excitement and anxiety.
Why do they say this?
Unfortunately, not everything in our lives is perfect. Sometimes a person becomes sad. There is an incomprehensible confusion in my soul. I want to do something, but how to correct a situation that has not yet begun? It is in moments of excitement that this phraseological unit is used. He expresses his state of mind well.
And in general, catchphrases that come from folklore are used to help people understand each other better. It’s not always possible to express in words what you feel. How to describe confusion, excitement and sadness at the same time? The phraseology “cats are scratching their souls” copes with this task perfectly. People hear an expression familiar from childhood and can imagine the excitement and anxiety that their opponent experiences.
Why do cats scratch the soul?
Few people have noticed how many stable combinations there are in the Russian language in which the soul is mentioned. If you think about it, only one, or at most three, comes to mind. But look at this impressive list:
- lonely soul;
- the soul is out of place;
- tug at the soul;
- exhaust the soul;
- to be sick at heart;
- stir up the soul;
- someone else's soul - darkness;
- the soul knows when to stop.
It is worth noting that this is only a small part in which our soul suffers. Why her? A person can use the expression “my heart aches” in a figurative sense, but this is still rarely practiced, because many people believe that thoughts are material. That is why, since ancient times, when a person feels bad morally, and not physically, he says that his soul is unhealthy. In this regard, it is not surprising that the mystical animal, according to folk legend, scrapes the soul.
Why does a cat bury a bowl of food or scratch its paw next to it, why does it do this?
Cats are very mysterious creatures; many attribute magical properties to them, which raises many questions. Some of their habits raise no less questions, for example, burying a bowl of food.
When a person began to actively move from houses on the ground to comfortable apartments, of course, he began to miss communication with nature and animals. To fill this shortage, our favorite pet, a cat, comes to the rescue. A huge number of people have cats, because they are quite unpretentious and do not require walking like a dog.
Despite all the unpretentiousness of cats, sometimes some habit of a pet can even frighten. For example, a common question among owners is: “why does a cat bury its food bowl?” When this happens, owners often get scared and think that their animal is unhealthy, but in fact the reason is much simpler. To understand this issue, you need to remember about cat instincts and habits.
Analogues in other languages
Are there similar expressions in other languages? Surprisingly, no. Although the cat was considered a mystical animal not only in Russia, but throughout Europe, it is not clear why they say this only in our country. It is possible that only Russians have such a big soul that a cat can climb into it.
In England, an incomprehensible excitement is conveyed by the phrase pit in my stomach, which literally means “a pit in the stomach.” In principle, this is a literal translation, but everyone understands that we are talking about exactly the feeling that arises in the stomach during a period of strong excitement.
The French convey their sadness with the expression sembler avoir un coeur lourd, which translated means “heavy heart.” That is, they believe that it is this organ that is responsible for all the internal experiences of a person.
Spaniards are very open people, so cats do not bother them. Instead, they use the expression cuando estoy triste, which translated means “I need to speak out to someone.”
Teeth grinding while eating
Most often, a cat grinds his teeth when he eats. At the same time, he may show concern: meow. rub its face with its paws, spit out food.
The cat creaks while eating (cat grinding his teeth) for the following reasons
:
- subluxation of the jaw;
- worms;
- periodontal disease;
- tartar;
- liver problems;
- diseased kidneys;
- uremic gastritis;
- rabies.
The chewing function includes several stages
:
- capturing food with fangs, lips and tongue;
- directing it to the surface of the molars;
- lateral movements of the lower jaw.
The degree of compression, the nature of the movement of the lower jaw, and the condition of the periodontal disease in their pathology cause the teeth to creak.
Subluxation of the lower jaw
When the jaw is subluxated, the cat clicks its teeth when eating or drinking. Reason: the age of the animal or an unsuccessful landing after a jump. Cats can fall and suffer severe head injuries. One of the consequences of the blow may be subluxation of the lower jaw, which leads to loose closure of the dentition. In older cats, subluxation may occur due to a strong yawn. Weakened ligaments and jaw muscles are unable to hold the jaw in the same position. Teeth grind when trying to close jaws.
A dislocated lower jaw must be corrected by a specialist. Owners of older cats have to learn this method due to frequent recurrences of subluxations. The reduction scheme consists of several manipulations:
- inserting a stick between the roots;
- bringing the upper and lower jaws closer together;
- abduction of the lower jaw until it clicks.
The procedure is painful; the pet needs to have the submandibular nerves numbed.
Infection with worms
Drugs should be given to the animal for prevention in any case. Cats that are not allowed outside can become infected with worm eggs brought from the street on clothes and shoes. Without following sanitary rules, the fight against helminths will be ineffective.
It is necessary to wash and disinfect food and water bowls and trays. Contact with stray animals is a source of infection.
Dental pathologies
With periodontal disease, the periodontal tissues are inflamed, the neck of the tooth is exposed, and the attachment of the tooth in the gum is weakened. When eating, teeth become loose and their location changes. The surfaces of the teeth rub against each other and creak. If several teeth are severely affected by periodontal disease, they are removed under general anesthesia. To diagnose the disease, X-ray and visual examinations are performed. Teeth grind in the final stages of pathology, when bone tissue begins to deteriorate. Clenching of the jaws leads to uneven load, resulting in the cat creaking loudly while chewing.
Tartar at the junction of the gum and the base of the tooth can interfere with chewing, which is accompanied by a characteristic sound when teeth grind. The animal tries to chew on the side where there is no tartar. It is impossible to remove tartar at home: this requires an ultrasonic unit.
Diseases of internal organs
A cat grinds its teeth if the liver and kidneys cannot cope with their function. Bile acids and urates (uric acid salts) enter the oral cavity through the bloodstream. Bile breakdown products cause irritation of soft tissues. They become inflamed and begin to itch. The cat tries to fight the itching of the gums by squeezing them, causing the teeth to grind. An additional symptom of liver disease is vomiting while eating. Urea salts destroy tooth enamel. It loses its smoothness and becomes lumpy. The deformed surfaces of the teeth creak while eating.
The process of tooth decay occurs in a similar way with uremic gastritis. Its cause is chronic renal failure. The mucous membrane of the stomach becomes inflamed, resulting in increased production of hydrochloric acid. The valve between the stomach and esophagus is disrupted. Reflux occurs (reverse movement), as a result of which stomach contents enter the oral cavity, destroying the enamel.
Treatment of uremic gastritis should be aimed at renal therapy. To relieve symptoms, a low-protein diet with sufficient boiled water is recommended for the cat. Drug treatment is prescribed by a veterinarian after examining the cat’s kidneys and stomach.
Additional signs of uremic gastritis at the initial stage are
:
- lethargy;
- decreased appetite;
- frequent urination;
- pungent odor from the mouth.
An accurate diagnosis can be made after a biochemical blood test, ultrasound of the kidneys and stomach.
Rabies
Grinding of your cat's teeth while eating may be one of the symptoms of rabies. The chewing process becomes painful. The animal eats slowly due to difficulty moving the lower jaw. Empty chewing movements cause grinding of rubbing dental surfaces (teeth grinding). There is no cure for rabies. The only way to avoid the disease is regular vaccination. If rabies is suspected, when teeth grinding is accompanied by increasing aggressiveness or apathy, the animal is isolated for 2-3 weeks for observation.
If the diagnosis is confirmed, the cat dies within one to two weeks. For a kitten, this period is reduced to 3-5 days. It is necessary to do an examination of the animal's cerebrospinal fluid. The owner will have to receive 7 anti-rabies injections within 6 months. Otherwise, he faces an incurable dangerous disease.
How to appease cats in the shower
In order not to feel unpleasant anxiety, you need to learn to relax. There is no point in worrying about the past and the future. If a person can change the situation, then he should act, and if he cannot, then he should not waste his soul with useless experiences.
Of course, everyone has moments in life when they simply cannot “turn off” their worries. But it is worth remembering that your lonely soul is not so lonely. There are always close people nearby to whom you can tell about your worries.
No matter how strange it may sound, when you tell another person about your experiences, it becomes much easier for yourself. If you don’t want to burden others with your worries, then you can tell them about them on a piece of paper. It often happens that written worries no longer look as scary as those that are swarming in disarray in your head.
However, the best cure for worries is work. By doing any activity, you can not only take your mind off unnecessary thoughts, but even heal your soul. Of course, this should not be monotonous work, but active brain activity. This is how, by switching your thoughts in a different direction, you can almost instantly forget about what was bothering you greatly. But you still need to learn not to run away from your problems, but to understand their cause.
Each person can only help himself. If the soul is in harmony, then it is difficult to disturb it, but when there is chaos inside, then, of course, there may be a black cat in a dark corner, which, on business, will run out of its shelter without him and sharpen its sharp claws.
Why does a domestic cat attack and bite its owner?
The cat scratched its owner's hand until it bled, why?
Before weaning a cat from aggressive behavior, you need to understand why he behaves this way. Our pets are not us, and they cannot bite or scratch us for no reason.
There can be several reasons for aggression.
Pain
The animal is in pain
. One of the reasons for aggression may be illness or injury in the cat. When the owner tries to pick up his animal and it experiences pain, the pet may bite him in response. Or if the owner stepped on the cat’s paw or crushed it, it is logical that the pet, in defense, screams, hisses, and scratches.
When a cat experiences severe pain, it instinctively hides. At such moments, he can attack the owner.
If the cat was active and affectionate, and one day began to hide in a dark corner. When you try to take her out of there, she violently shows aggression. In such a situation, it is urgent to take your pet to a doctor for examination.
Fear
When a cat is afraid of something, aggression can act as a defensive reaction.
When a cat is very scared, its behavior can become aggressive. This is his quiet reaction and survival instinct.
If your children like to forcibly pet a cat or torment it, then in return they will only get vinegar and scratches. To calm your pet, you just need to move away from him what scares him.
Cats like it when their opinions are respected
. If your pet comes to you for attention, it will be sweet and affectionate. If you forcefully pet him, this will cause a lot of indignation and aggression.
Alien smell
A cat can become aggressive if it smells a strange animal.
The smell of someone else's cat or dog
. Our cats are very jealous. If the owner returns home and the smell of a foreign animal emanates from him, the cat may become aggressive. Since there is no way to fight with someone whose scent is on the owner, all the anger is directed at the owner. To avoid this, you need to immediately change clothes as soon as you return home. After this, you can wash your hands with soap or use special products that eliminate odors.
To attract attention
When your cat wants affection, she may rub against you and purr. If the owner has no time, he will simply pet the animal and then go about his business. But if the pet starts scratching or biting, this will certainly attract attention to it.
Raising your master
If you spoil your pet too much, he will create his own rules. And if you refuse to fulfill them, you will be punished with claws and teeth.
Games
Regular games
. If you allowed a small kitten to bite itself during play, then when it grows up, it will bite you in the same way. But the older the animal, the stronger its bites. In addition, during the game, even the most well-mannered cat can simply get carried away. In this case, you just need to stop him by pointing out what he is doing wrong.
These are the main reasons why a domestic cat scratches and bites its owner, but there can be many more. Each animal is individual, has its own specific tastes and habits.
